The internet is a great place to find out all the facts about your favorite celebrities—unless,
of course, that celebrity is Chuck Norris.
For Norris fans, the internet is a minefield of lies, jokes, and memes.
"When the boogie man goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris."
So how do you sort the real from the fake?
Keep watching to learn some things you didn’t know about Chuck Norris.
Military man
Chuck Norris is a famous guy for playing badass military men, but that isn't all Hollywood
movie magic.
In fact, Norris did actually serve in the military, joining the Air Force at the age
of 18.
His four-year stint proved to be life-changing.
While serving at the Osan Air Base in South Korea, Norris took his first martial arts
lessons, in Tang Soo Do.
The rest, like so many of Chuck's big-screen bad guys, is history.
(gun shots)
Carlos Norris
Norris has played a lot of roles over the course of his career, but one role you may
not be familiar with is Carlos Norris.
In his autobiography, Against All Odds: My Story, Norris revealed that he got the nickname
of "Chuck" while serving in the Air Force in South Korea, but he was born with the name
Carlos, in honor of his dad's minister.
It doesn't quite have the same ring, does it?
"Poor Carlos"
On the other hand, his brother Wieland was named after a beer...so maybe Chuck got off
easy.
(insane Bruce Lee punching)
Brotherly Dedication
Norris' most famous film role is Colonel James Braddock, the former prisoner of war who returns
to Vietnam to save his captive comrades in Missing in Action and its sequels.
That story was very personal for Norris, as his younger brother Wieland Norris was killed
in Vietnam in 1970.
Chuck later wrote that Wieland met his end
"...while leading his squad through dangerous enemy territory.
He had spotted an enemy patrol laying a trap and was trying to warn his men when the Vietcong
cut him down."
Norris dedicated Missing in Action to his brother's memory.
Karate World Champ
Following his honorable discharge from the military, Norris opened a karate school in
the US and started participating in national competitions.
People might forget now, but he started as a legitimate karate master.
By the end of the 1960s, he had risen to become the middleweight professional karate champion
of the world.
He caught the attention of stars like Bruce Lee and Steve McQueen, who encouraged him
to go into acting.
Norris was inducted into the International Karate & Kickboxing Hall of Fame-
"YYYAAAAA!!"
-and in his own words, he became
"The first man ever in the Western Hemisphere to be awarded an 8th degree Black Belt Grand
Master recognition in the Tae Kwon Do system….something that still humbles me to the core of my being."
Saturday Morning Superhero
By the mid-'80s, Norris had become a household name, so he parlayed that notoriety into his
own cartoon and comic books.
Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos premiered in 1986 and tanked only after five episodes.
"Chuck Norris, with his team, Pepper!"
"It's too dangerous Chuck!"
"Too much!"
"Kimo the Samurai warrior!"
"Reed, Chuck's teenage apprentice!"
But that was still enough for Marvel Comics to put out an adaptation of the series.
The comic focused more on Chuck himself, which unfortunately wasn’t a recipe for success,
either.
The publisher pulled the plug after just four issues.
And the action figures?
"Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos"
(theme song)
"Figures sold seperately"
Not worth much today.
What was wrong with kids in the '80s?
Speedboat Racer
When he’s not saving the world and avenging evil, Chuck Norris has another passion: racing
speedboats.
In the late '80s, Norris got into the high-powered and highly dangerous sport alongside fellow
action stars Kurt Russell and Don Johnson.
Why did he enjoy racing speedboats?
He told People,
"I do it for kicks.
And right now I'm looking forward to kicking some butt."
Campaign Trail
"My plan to secure the border?
Two words.
Chuck Norris."
In 2007, Norris began a new role as a blogger and political activist, appearing alongside
Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee at major events.
It didn't actually help Huckabee win anything, but that hasn't deterred Norris, who continued
to campaign for Huckabee during the subsequent presidential election cycle.
"Now one of the Chuck Norris facts is that America's not a democracy, it's a Chucktatorship."
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos like the one you just saw.
And leave us a comment to let us know what you’ve heard about Chuck Norris…